Canucks kick off camp without ‘day-to-day’ David Booth

Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun09.11.2013

Vancouver Canucks players were ready to go as training camp opened on Wednesday, but winger David Booth wasn't among them, as he's still recovering from off-season ankle surgery.Gerry Kahrmann
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The Vancouver Canucks will take good looks at top prospects like centre Bo Horvat (ninth overall in 2013 NHL Entry Draft).Ward Perrin
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One Vancouver Canucks prospect who has impressed at the ‘kids camp,’ and could well feature in Vancouver this season, is winger Nicklas Jensen (29th overall in 2011 NHL Entry Draft).Rocky Widner
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The Vancouver Canucks like the silky skills shown by junior-age winger Hunter Shinkaruk (24th overall in 2013 NHL Entry Draft), who will get a long look at camp. Still, expect the sniper to be sent back to the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers for another year of seasoning.Ward Perrin
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Incoming head coach John Tortorella says the Vancouver Canucks need ‘more bite,’ and be more difficult to play against. Where will that come from? Is Dale Weise (above right) the cavalry, or will others indeed step up?Steve Bosch
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Who backs up Roberto Luongo between the pipes for the Canucks? Is it Swedish netminder Eddie Lack (above), who while in the Canucks’ organization for the last couple of seasons, is coming off serious hip surgery and hasn’t played a game since late 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
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Or will Roberto Luongo’s backup in the end be rookie Swedish goalie Joacim Eriksson (above), who is unproven in North America?Ward Perrin
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Jordan Schroeder (above), with his one-way contract, could be the favourite for the third-line centre spot. But he will be pressed by fellow first-rounders Brendan Gaunce and Bo Horvat, who physically both seem better suited as third-line pivots.Rich Lam
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David Booth (centre) has been a bust as a Canuck, is coming off a serious ankle injury and still needs to be cleared to play. His offence is desperately needed.Jeff Vinnick
/ NHLI via Getty Images

It will be interesting to see how young, rugged Zack Kassian (above) responds to new coach John Tortorella when the latter applies the heat on him.Jeff Vinnick
/ NHLI via Getty Images

Don’t be surprised if Daniel (left) and Henrik Sedin sign contract extensions with the Vancouver Canucks before the season starts.Jeff Vinnick
/ NHLI via Getty Images

A healthy Ryan Kesler, circa 2010-11 and a Frank Selke Trophy-winning campaign, could do wonders for the Canucks. But you have to wonder: Will he respond well to criticism from his new coach?Rich Lam
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Expect Jason Garrison and his hard shot to get a better look on the Canucks’ power play.Jeff Vinnick, Nhli Via Getty Images Files
/ Vancouver Sun

Newly acquired Yannick Weber will be given an opportunity to run things from the point on the Canucks’ power play.Rich Lam
/ Getty Images files

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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks are beginning training camp without winger David Booth, who is still not cleared to play after undergoing ankle surgery more than five months ago.

General manager Mike Gillis and head coach John Tortorella would not say much more about Booth’s status when they met with the media on Wednesday at Rogers Arena.

“He is day to day,” Tortorella said.

Asked if he had an expectation of when Booth would return, Gillis said: “Yeah, I do. I am not going to tell you that. David suffered a very serious injury last year. He is a big part of this team moving forward and we have to protect our team.

“It’s just like any other player who has suffered that kind of injury. It’s training camp and with a player of his stature and his experience you don’t need to push him into a situation he is not going to be ready for and risk something else. So it’s just regular maintenance of a player who has been injured and I’m sure you will see him soon.

“Like John said, he’s day to day. We are going to continue to evaluate him and make sure we don’t have issues going forward.”

Booth suffered what was initially described as an ankle sprain in a game March 16 against the Detroit Red Wings. But the injury was more severe than first acknowledged and Booth had surgery on the ankle on March 22.

Now, nearly six months later, he is still not ready to play.

“Like Mike said, we want to try and keep him healthy so we are trying to be really careful with him,” Tortorella said.

Booth has been plagued with injuries since being acquired by the Canucks two years ago from the Florida Panthers. He played just 12 games for the Canucks last season and had one goal and two assists.

His injury creates another possible opening for Canuck prospects like wingers Nicklas Jensen and Hunter Shinkaruk to crack the lineup.

LET’S MAKE A DEAL: Contract talks between Henrik and Daniel Sedin and the Canucks are continuing, with both sides hoping a new deal can be struck before the start of the regular season.

“I think everyone knows we want to be here,” Daniel said. “We’ll see what happens the next few days.”

Henrik suggested their next contracts could their last. The twins turn 33 on Sept. 24 and will likely be seeking at least a three- or four-year deal.

“If we are going to sign something here, it’s going to be our last contract maybe,” Henrik said.

The twins are heading into the final year of their present deal, which pays them each $6.1 million a season. They are represented by agent J.P. Barry.

“You know we don’t talk about contracts,” said general manager Mike Gillis. “But we met with their representative and them and the process will go on and hopefully it will get done before the season starts.”

FISH STORIES: Centre Ryan Kesler landed the big one during the team’s visit earlier this week to a fishing lodge on Haida Gwaii.

Kesler reeled in a 36-pound spring salmon to win the team’s fishing derby.

“There were a lot of funny stories,” defenceman Dan Hamhuis said. “Most guys have just done some small-fish lake fishing. Burr (Alex Burrows) had a little 8- or 10-pounder come up on his rod and he reeled it in and was excited about the fish and the guide just looked at it and knocked it off the hook. He was pretty upset about it.”

Defenceman Alex Edler thought he was going to better Kesler’s catch when he hooked a big one late in the day.

“The derby was supposed to end at 4:45 and Eddie had a large fish that he was fighting for over an hour,” Hamhuis said. “It was certainly going to challenge Kes and we had all the boats surrounding Eddie watching him try to reel this thing in. He had ice in his veins and got it and it ended up being just short. It ended up being 34.7 pounds.”

Hamhuis, a Smithers native, said he was happy to see the team spend some time in northern B.C. The Canuck trip also included a stop in Prince Rupert.

“It was really cool just to share with my teammates the excitement of the fans in northern B.C.,” Hamhuis said. “There is a really passionate following up there and this was a really neat opportunity to give back to them … It was really exciting for the communities up there and it was a spectacular experience.”

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